The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa, Volume 1 eBook

“Vaisampayana continued, ’Hearing these
words of Drupada, the virtuous king Yudhishthira replied,
saying, ’O great king, I also shall have to
marry.’ Hearing him, Drupada said, ’If
it pleaseth thee, take thou the hand of my daughter
thyself with due rites. Or, give Krishna in marriage
unto whomsoever of thy brothers thou likest.’
Yudhishthira said, ’Thy daughter, O king, shall
be the common wife of us all! Even thus it hath
been ordered, O monarch, by our mother. I am unmarried
still, and Bhima also is so amongst the sons of Pandu.
This thy jewel of a daughter hath been won by Arjuna.
This, O king, is the rule with us; to ever enjoy equally
a jewel that we may obtain. O best of monarchs,
that rule of conduct we cannot now abandon. Krishna,
therefore, shall become the wedded wife of us all.
Let her take our hands, one after another before the
fire.’

’Drupada answered, ’O scion of Kuru’s
race, it hath been directed that one man may have
many wives. But it hath never been heard that
one woman may have many husbands! O son of Kunti,
as thou art pure and acquainted with the rules of
morality, it behoveth thee not to commit an act that
is sinful and opposed both to usage and the Vedas.
Why, O prince, hath thy understanding become so?’
Yudhishthira said in reply, ’O monarch, morality
is subtle. We do not know its course. Let
us follow the way trodden by the illustrious ones
of former ages. My tongue never uttered an untruth.
My heart also never turneth to what is sinful.
My mother commandeth so; and my heart also approveth
of it. Therefore, O king, that is quite conformable
to virtue. Act according to it, without any scruples.
Entertain no fear, O king, about this matter.’

“Drupada said, ’O son of Kunti thy mother,
and my son Dhrishtadyumna and thyself, settle amongst
yourselves as to what should be done. Tell me
the result of your deliberations and tomorrow I will
do what is proper.’

“Vaisampayana continued, ’After this,
O Bharata, Yudhishthira, Kunti and Dhrishtadyumna
discoursed upon this matter. Just at that time,
however, the island-born (Vyasa), O monarch, came
there in course of his wanderings.’”

SECTION CLXLVIII

(Vaivahika Parva continued)

“Vaisampayana said, ’Then all the Pandavas
and the illustrious king of the Panchalas and all
others there present stood up and saluted with reverence
the illustrious Rishi Krishna (Dwaipayana). The
high-souled Rishi, saluting them in return and enquiring
after their welfare, sat down on a carpet of gold.
And commanded by Krishna (Dwaipayana) of immeasurable
energy, those foremost of men all sat down on costly
seats. A little after, O monarch, the son of
Prishata in sweet accents asked the illustrious Rishi
about the wedding of his daughter. And he said,
’How, O illustrious one, can one woman become
the wife of many men without being defiled by sin?
O, tell me truly all about this.’ Hearing
these words Vyasa replied, ’This practice, O
king, being opposed to usage and the Vedas, hath become
obsolete. I desire, however, to hear what the
opinion of each of you is upon this matter.’